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maketeaa's review
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
i bought this after attending bobby's author panel at trafalgar last night, and the way he spoke about this book, about the complicated tangle of love and tenderness with anger, put under the microscope of the innate temporality of human existence, was exactly what this work strives to do. definitely a tearjerker!! though i feel like the exploration of jack's relationship with his father, especially the fraughtness of it in the context of his memory loss, was overshadowed a little by the plot of trying to find him. still a great read!
readingbelowtheclouds's review
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
nina_reads_books's review against another edition
4.0
Isaac and the Egg was author Bobby Palmer's debut novel in 2022 and it was such a lovely, quirky portrayal of grief. I was therefore absolutely delighted to receive an early copy of the follow up novel Small Hours.
The story is focused on the Penwick's family. Jack has just lost his job when he is called home by his sister to help when their mother is suddenly missing. His father Gerry whose health is in decline is
of no help. Jack and Gerry had a difficult relationship during Jack's childhood and Jack has distanced himself further from his father and the rest of his family. His missing mother becomes an opportunity to heal the rift. And in amongst all of this is a talking fox that stands between Jack and Gerry.
What makes the Small Hours so special is the author's ability to inject a sense of magic and whimsy into a story with quite a lot of heavy themes in it. There is the fox which talks to both Jack and Gerry. What a great character! And Gerry's wonderful rambling inner monologue which shows just how much his memory and mental functions are declining but also demonstrates an understanding of how differently he has approached life over the years - for good and bad. His affinity with the woods around his home and the animals within it was lovely.
I loved also how, as with Isaac and the Egg, this was a book that focussed on men and their feelings in such a sensitive way. Grief, memory, connections and emotions were all wrapped up in this story that became a journey of seeking family (literally and figuratively).
Overall this was a book full of symbolism and the natural world and I really enjoyed it. My one small criticism was that I felt it was a little long as partway through the story dragged just a little. But honestly this was a lovely and sad and funny story that is
well worth the read. Doesn't quite match up with the uniqueness and wonder that was Isaac and the Egg but Bobby Palmer is now an author I will definitely always read.
Thank you to @hachetteaus for my #gifted copy and thank you also to @netgalley for the e-book version I received.
The story is focused on the Penwick's family. Jack has just lost his job when he is called home by his sister to help when their mother is suddenly missing. His father Gerry whose health is in decline is
of no help. Jack and Gerry had a difficult relationship during Jack's childhood and Jack has distanced himself further from his father and the rest of his family. His missing mother becomes an opportunity to heal the rift. And in amongst all of this is a talking fox that stands between Jack and Gerry.
What makes the Small Hours so special is the author's ability to inject a sense of magic and whimsy into a story with quite a lot of heavy themes in it. There is the fox which talks to both Jack and Gerry. What a great character! And Gerry's wonderful rambling inner monologue which shows just how much his memory and mental functions are declining but also demonstrates an understanding of how differently he has approached life over the years - for good and bad. His affinity with the woods around his home and the animals within it was lovely.
I loved also how, as with Isaac and the Egg, this was a book that focussed on men and their feelings in such a sensitive way. Grief, memory, connections and emotions were all wrapped up in this story that became a journey of seeking family (literally and figuratively).
Overall this was a book full of symbolism and the natural world and I really enjoyed it. My one small criticism was that I felt it was a little long as partway through the story dragged just a little. But honestly this was a lovely and sad and funny story that is
well worth the read. Doesn't quite match up with the uniqueness and wonder that was Isaac and the Egg but Bobby Palmer is now an author I will definitely always read.
Thank you to @hachetteaus for my #gifted copy and thank you also to @netgalley for the e-book version I received.
lea_who_reads's review
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
louise632's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
hermionerose97's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
In his follow up to Isaac and the Egg, Bobby Palmer has given us another little slice of magic. Small Hours takes a dejected and insular protagonist, adds a talking fox, and weaves them together into a beautiful story about redemption, sacrifice and the complexities of love. His unique style that we saw in his debut novel endures through this one, proving that he can turn the weirdest ideas* into works of art. At once thoughtful, and whimsical, this book was truly a joy to read. I already can’t wait for Bobby Palmer’s third novel!
*his words, not mine! (in the acknowledgments)
nclcaitlin's review against another edition
2.75
There’s a talking fox. That’s all you need to know.
Jack is must return home and face what he’s been suppressing when his mother disappears with no explanation. There, he must face his estranged father, disappointed sister, and his disappointment in his career.
This is a story of a family in crisis and the ghosts of the past who still haunt them, of life-changing conversations in the early hours of the morning, and of understanding, compassion, and love.
Sadly, I found this too boring. I kept waiting for something to happen, yet this was more of a melancholic read. As I didn’t connect to the characters, I didn’t find it heartening or overly saddening. I think I’m just not a contemporary fiction reader that’s more in this vein.
Thank you to Headline Audio for providing the audiobook exchange for a review.
Jack is must return home and face what he’s been suppressing when his mother disappears with no explanation. There, he must face his estranged father, disappointed sister, and his disappointment in his career.
This is a story of a family in crisis and the ghosts of the past who still haunt them, of life-changing conversations in the early hours of the morning, and of understanding, compassion, and love.
Sadly, I found this too boring. I kept waiting for something to happen, yet this was more of a melancholic read. As I didn’t connect to the characters, I didn’t find it heartening or overly saddening. I think I’m just not a contemporary fiction reader that’s more in this vein.
Thank you to Headline Audio for providing the audiobook exchange for a review.
bookishsamsch's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Excuse me while I wipe the tears from my eyes and really take in what I've just read.
Small Hours is the follow up book to the brilliant Isaac and the Egg and is nothing short of breathtaking. The descriptions of the British countryside, the woods and the animals are so beautifully written I felt transported there. The characters, all troubled, are full formed people in my head and I'm going to miss them so much.
And the fox. The fox! I can't even.....
Small Hours is going to the top of my favourite read of 2024 list so far and is really high up in my favourite reads of all time. Bobby Palmer is such a talent. The way he represented the muddled thoughts of a man whose memories are fading was frankly remarkable. I really felt the loss and got a sense of perspective of what somebody having to deal with that must go through. Truly heartbreaking.
Occasionally I get a book hangover and need to think for a spell before I pick my next read and this is one of those moments. It was written so thoughtfully, so nuanced in style, each word picked carefully and perfectly. I'm in love with these characters, their home and their location.
Finally, I just have to mention the book cover, which is absolutely stunning.
Thanks to Headline & Netgalley for providing an e-copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. Will be getting a print copy of this for my collection.
twiggy77's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5